2018 Reading List

I perused my ongoing list of book recommendations along with the New York Times and Globe and Mail Best Books of 2017 lists, and this is what I've put on my reading list for 2017.

Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez. This one is set in Toronto (obvi) so I think I will appreciate some local references.  I don't venture East of Yonge much so I'll look forward to exploring this strange new side of the city.

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green.  This one is about mental illness; a difficult but fascinating topic.

Exit West by Moshid Hamid.  Although Syrian refugees didn't dominate our headlines as much this year, refugees are still out there and require continued attention.  This book is about refugees but I think it takes place in some alternate universe, so I'm curious how it will read.

Hunger: A Memoir of my Body by Roxanne Gay. I thought I would throw in a few non-fiction selections.  This one was on one of those lists of good writing.  With the constant discussion about body image and women, this is apparently a very honest account of being overweight and what goes along with that.

Church of Small Things by Melanie Shankle. This is also non-fiction, and on my Christmas list this year.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.  This is a fun one that I've heard some good things about.  Excited to pick it up, and maybe the sequel too.

Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thein. Giller Prize winner, say no more (but if I must, it takes place in China, which is a place about which I haven't read a lot about).

The Nazi Officer's Wife by Edith H. Beer.  Another non-fiction selection. This is a crazy record of survival of a woman during World War II.  I'm interested in all things about the two World Wars and I have heard that it reads like a novel.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. I really don't know much about this one other than it has showed up on a few must-read lists.  One of the nice things about book club was reading things that I knew nothing about so that's why I added it to the list.

And Then You Loved Me by Inglath Cooper.  So the front of this book makes me think it will be a romance.  I used to read romance novels all the time, so this may be a nice throwback.

Interestingly as I was making this list, I removed two that I had selected because I realized I had read another book by those authors and hated them.  One was Transit by Rachel Cusk, we read Outline for our book club, and I was not a fan.  The other was Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.  Our book club also read A Visit From the Goon Squad and I didn't like it either.  Now that I'm choosing my own books, I can do what I want!

Media Wednesday

So I've decided not to continue with my book club next year and for scheduling reasons I am not able to attend the last two books of this year.  I am kind of sad about it just because I hate change but it was also my own decision.  So now instead of posting about my book club books I will be posting about other books I am reading on my own.  This past weekend I finished The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver  This is one of my favourite books and I wanted something familiar to read.  I started it during the Labour Day weekend so it took me awhile to get through it, but it was just as good as I remembered it.

I don't like giving spoilers but I will give you a brief plot summary.  This is a story about a Baptist minister who goes to the Belgian Congo in 1959 shortly before it declared its independence.  He had a wife and four daughters and a strong will to spread God's word to the people of Kilanga.  The story is told through the eyes of the women in the story. I always like reading from different points of view, it keeps the story moving along.  If you are a student of history you can probably guess that the declaration of independence of an African nation from its European rulers was not a good place for a white American missionary family to be.  When you pair this with the minister's stubbornness, there will be trouble.  I won't say much more because it is better to just read the book and find out what happens, but the underlying doom is there throughout.

Because the daughters are all so different, you can get a fuller snapshot of the situation.  Rachel is an entitled 16 year old, Leah and Adah are twins, but different.  Leah is her father's daughter, and Adah reads things backwards, sees poetry in everything, and doesn't speak. Ruth May is the baby of the family, and although innocent, provides insightful commentary.  The mother is telling the story as she looks back on the past, whereas the daughters are more or less writing in the present tense, although with some reflection.

Although this is a work of fiction, the historical events are true so you can read the Wikipedia pages about what happened there.  It is because of this book I have always been very reluctant to support Christian missionaries. I'm sure some of them meant well and did good work, but I would think most of them did more harm than good.  There is one passage in the book that I have marked (it's the start of Leah's passage in Book Six) that I love.  It's the thing that I always love about books and movies; a description of how things used to be and how it could have been.  It's the type of thing that really breaks your heart because you know how the story turns out.  That is sort of hard to explain but if you know the book and read that passage, maybe you'll understand what I mean.

So if you have not read this book, get a copy.  I think many people would enjoy it.

Recommendations for other books welcome please! I'm hoping to put together a rough schedule for my own reading for this next year.

Media Wednesday - 2017 Book Club

Last week my book club selected our next books to read for 2017.   Here they are.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.  I've read this before but not for many years.  It is a really good book written from the perspective of an autistic boy.  It really gives you an idea of how those on spectrum think and why they do things they way they do.  I'm looking forward to reading it again. 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.  I think you have to read this if you're in a book club.  I just saw the movie so I will know what happens but the book is always better so I'm sure there will be some more detail to keep me interested. 

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.  This is our non-fiction selection for the year, a memoir about someone with lung cancer. 

The Education of Dixie Dupree by Donna Everhart.  I'm sure I will like this as it takes place in the South and it looks like there is some family drama. 

The Ballroom by Anna Hope.  I don't know much about this book other than what it says in the summary but it takes place in England before World War I so I'm sure I will think it is great.  Although the last book we read set in England around the war, where we all expected Downton Abbey, was disappointing, so we shall see. 

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney.  This is another one that I think you're supposed to read if you're in a book club.  It sounds pretty good; I hope it lives up to the hype.

Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty.  We all liked Big Little Lies and then I read The Husband's Secret and we thought we would like this newest book by this author.  I'm looking forward to it. 

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.  It was between this book and Lion, the one that is coming out as a movie starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman later this month.  We decided this sounded like the better story, although apparently an earlier incarnation of this book club read this in 2012.  I can't remember it at all, which I guess means I'm getting old! 

The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett.  This one sounds like Sliding Doors, the movie with Gwyneth Paltrow, where there are different versions of someone's life depending on choices they made.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.  This was my choice.  It is sort of a thriller/mystery which we don't typically read.  It sounds like one of those ones where there is more to the story than you think, and the reader needs to pick up on clues to figure out what is going on. 

Looking forward to 2017!

Media Wednesday

This month at our book club, we read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

This was my selection so I may be biased but I really liked it.  I found it to be an easy read and a fascinating and timely topic.  The story is about a woman from Nigeria who has moved to the United States for university and now she has decided to move back home.  It jumps back and forth between the present and the past.  She writes a lot about racism in the States from the viewpoint of someone who did not grow up in the US.  Those observations are so interesting because they are things we take for granted here in North America but do seem ridiculous when seen through the eyes of someone from away.  

2016 has been a year where we have heard a lot about racism and how it isn't going away even though the Civil Rights movement happened years ago.  I was introduced to many different things that although I know about, I have not really thought about.  For example, hair is a topic of discussion.  I know that black hair is a "thing", but I hadn't thought about what it means for various people.  Relaxed hair vs. weaves vs. natural hair.  

It's not just about race but about her relationships with her family, friends and boyfriends.  This is relatable regardless of race, but being from Nigeria, dating a white guy, and living abroad definitely added some interesting layers to those relationships. 

I always appreciate a different view of the world, and this was another one to read about.  Obviously i have no idea what it is like to be black, but to get the perspective of someone who does is good.  Race  is a touchy subject and we don't want to offend anyone, but it is something we can't ignore so having more information is useful. In this instance the more information is someone else's viewpoint. 

Media Wednesday

This month for our book club, we read Us Conductors by Sean Michaels.

This was the Giller Prize winner in 2014, and I am often a big fan of those books.  I started this book not knowing much about it and it didn't grab my attention right away.  I was about 1/3 of the way in when I finally was engaged in the story and then was very interested in what was going on and it kept me right through to the end.  I ended up really enjoying it and it was pretty heartbreaking throughout (and who doesn't love to be heartbroken while reading).

The book employs a literary device that I like, when there is a hint at something that has already happened so the plot is leading up to this event and we want to keep reading.  The story is about a real person, Leon Termen, a Russian inventor who comes to the United States.  The author bases the novel loosely on true events, but takes liberties (as he says himself) about the details.  I don't want to give too much away if you don't know about him but it is a fascinating story.

The story takes place in the United States and in Russia in the 1920s to 1940s.  I knew a bit of Russian history from reading the Ken Follett "The Century Trilogy", but it was interesting to hear more.  

Aside from the love story, the espionage and history in the book, a lot is about the theremin, an instrument that Leon invented.  I can't even really explain how it works, but here is a youtube video of Leon himself playing the instrument:

And a more modern version of the instrument:

It is really fascinating to see.  This guy had so many great inventions, some of which are still used today.  

Media Wednesday

Story set in Canada. Check.

Historical significance. Check.

Bonus points for a World War II setting.  Check.

Narrative that switches between past and present. Check.

Descriptive writing that elicits emotion.  Check and check.

Our book club selection for this month was Requiem by Frances Itani.  It hit all of the things I look for in a novel and has easily taken first place for books we have read this year, and is in the top five of the books we have read over the years.

The story is that of the Japanese Canadians who were interned during the Second World War after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  I think we all know this happened, but it was still shocking to read how these people were treated, most of them born in Canada with no ties to Japan, other than distant relatives, and how the Canadian government rounded them up and made them live like animals for several years.  It is shameful and although the government has apologized and made reparations, it doesn't seem to even out.  Although this is a work of fiction, the stories are taken from real people.  I actually felt that the stories were told in such a way that they seemed very real and couldn't have been invented.  That's kind of hard to explain but perhaps their simplicity made them seem true, had they been more elaborate, I wouldn't have believed them.  

The story is that of Bin, the youngest of three children, who were sent away from the coast of British Columbia to live in an internment camp.  Bin is older now, and has just lost his wife to a stroke, and decides to take a road trip from his home in Ottawa out west, not quite sure where he is going.  He flips back and forth between his drive, times with wife and young son, and his time in camp and afterwards.  

I found the book to be very emotional and got choked up many times reading it, particularly at the end when I was almost sobbing (not quite, I have sobbed while reading, but this wasn't as extreme).  The times when this happened were always when someone was kind to Bin.  The kindness really stood out to me in place (the camp) where there was a lot of suffering. 

I read Snow Falling on Cedars in university (and saw its terrible movie), and it was a really good read, but this is way better (and Canadian).  Read this book, particularly if you know nothing of how the Japanese were treated in Canada during the war.  It is a worthwhile humbling lesson. 

Media Wednesday

It is our final book club meeting of the year tonight.  We read All my Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews.

This was by far my favourite book of the year.  It is exactly the type of literary book that I like.  It takes place in Canada, the description of the characters and plot is done gradually and is not told to you in an obvious way, the transitions between past and present are seamless, and it is dotted with beautiful passages that make your heart ache for their melancholy and meaning.   

The story is sad as it deals with mental health and suicide, but it has so many lovely and real moments that the sadness does not feel gratuitous.  The story is semi-autobiographical so don't go on Wikipedia to read Miriam's bio before you read the book (like I did), or you will spoil the story. We are hearing more about mental health in recent years, but there are still so many nuances to learn about.  This will make you look at depression and anxiety in a different way, both from the perspective of the person suffering and from their family members.

It is a short read and easy to get through.  Pick it up and read it.  It was a finalist for the Giller Prize (last year I think) and those are usually good reads.  Other Giller Prize finalists and winners that I have enjoyed are:  The Bishop's Man, Half Blood Blues, The Disappeared, Late Nights on Air, Fall on your Knees, and The Way the Crow Flies.

See our other selections from the past year here:

The Paying Guests

Any Known Blood

We are Water

The Shock of the Fall

A House in the Sky

Beat the Reaper

The Kitchen House

Gone Girl

Next week I will share our reading list for 2016.

Media Wednesday

This month our book club read "Beat the Reaper" by Josh Bazell.

I will say that when we chose it I wasn't that keen on reading this book.  I don't know why, but maybe it was the title (totally judging a book by its cover).  I wasn't sufficiently interested until the 2nd or 3rd chapter, but then I really liked it.

I don't like giving away any spoilers about the books on here, but I will say there is a mob element to it and that is what drew me in.  I was late to the Sopranos party but once I got there I was a big fan.  This story reminded of that show and I kept trying to compare the book characters to members of the Soprano clan.

I mentioned this in last week's post that it is a little strange to cheer for the "bad guys".  The same was true for this book in a way.  By no means was I invested in these characters like I was with Tony, Christopher, Adriana, Silvio, Paulie, etc., but I didn't look at them with disdain or contempt.  I just took their story for what it was worth based on the circumstances, and I enjoyed it.

Can I just say since I've mentioned the Sopranos how much I miss James Gandolfini?!  I was just in the middle of watching the Sopranos for the first time and he died.  It was so heartbreaking because he was extremely talented.  If you love James Gandolfini too, make sure you watch Enough Said.

Media Wednesday

Our book club read "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grissom.

It is a story about a young Irish orphan that is put into indentured servitude at a planation in the 1700s in Virginia, and then sent to live with the slaves in the kitchen house.  I have read a few books about slavery, and seen the movies (12 Years a Slave, Django Unchained, The Book of Negroes), but for some reason I found this story one of the most heartbreaking.  I mean, you know slavery is bad and that it's pretty much the worst thing that ever happened in the Southern US, but the day to day fear and abuse experienced by the slaves was really well written in this book.  Similarly the treatment of the white women of the house was really sad.  The system in place at the time gave women so few options that they also had to live with abuse and fear.

As much as I enjoyed it, I wouldn't call it a "great novel" or anything like that.  It is an easy read with no real complex storylines.  This is the author's first novel.  She said in the end notes that this book "came to her" as if from another medium.  I'm paraphrasing here but she felt like these characters were inside her and wanted her to tell this story, their story.  Insert chills here.  Not sure how much I believe that there were spirits tell her to write this book, but it is believable that these types of events did occur.

If you're looking for an easy, heartbreaking read (and isn't everyone?), then pick up this book.

 

Media Wednesdays

In this edition of Media Wednesdays, I am sharing my five favourite books of all time.  I am a reader and always have been. I have a Bachelor of Arts with an Advanced Major in English.  We read to E every night and my favourite gifts to give kids are books, you can never have too many.  I spent a lot of time at the library growing up, and now that I have a child, my love of the library has been renewed. I remember going with E when I was on mat leave and saying "I can take these home for free!" I know that is obvious but it was a new level of appreciation.

I have many favourite books but these are ones that have stuck with me and that I've read, or will read, multiple times.

Gone with the Wind - I have read this about 10 times or more.  I remember picking it up at our library when I saw it on a list that said "Read a banned book!".  Aside from the obvious racial issues and bias with which the book was written, it is still a wonderful read.  Margaret Mitchell was a very talented writer and made those characters come alive so it was almost like you were sitting on the front steps of Tara with Scarlett and the Tarleton twins.  It is so rich with detail, in both character development but also in the history.  The sequel, Scarlett, not written by Margaret Mitchell but by Alexandra Ripley, is pretty good.  It carries on the story after Rhett said "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" and takes Scarlett to Ireland.  If you haven't read it, give it a shot. 

The two smaller ones were used before I even got them, and then I got a brand new copy a few years ago.

To Kill a Mockingbird - I watched this movie early on and when I read the book I was immediately appreciative of Harper Lee's talent.  Of course the book provides more detail, more characters, and more nuances than the movie (as it always does). Given that Gone with the Wind is my favourite book (see above), the race relations of the South fascinate me and this book provides some more recent context.  Also the legal aspect of the trial, and the mental health of Boo Radley are themes that I enjoy.  There is a lovely scene in the book that does not appear in the movie where there is a fire in the neighbourhood one night, and everyone is out on the street watching.  At some point Scout realizes she has a blanket over her shoulders, and she didn't know where it came from, but it was Boo that had come up behind her to make sure she kept warm.  I think the adults knew he was there but he wouldn't need Scout to see him of course, he was just watching out for her.  My copy of this book is at home at my mom's.

The Great Gatsby - As many high school students were, this book was required reading in English class.  I'm not sure what it was about this book that first drew me to it, particularly when literary critics say this is one of Fitzgerald's worst books, but I enjoyed it.  Then to have Leonardo DiCaprio (LEO!!) star in the movie version years later?  How could it get any better than that?  Also a heartbreaking tale (I'm sensing a pattern here) about things not working out.  I wrote an essay about this book in Grade 12.  I would be interested to read this essay again now and see what sort of groundbreaking observations I had at that time. One thing I can be sure of is that it probably contained the word "ergo" (meaning therefore in Latin) as I had a habit of using that word in essays whenever I could.  I think I wrote about the use the colour, but I can't really remember.  I thought I had a copy of this book but I couldn't find it, maybe it is at home too.

Pillars of the Earth and World Without End - These are two books but they go together.  Ken Follett has written many books but Pillars of the Earth was the first one I read.  It is set in 12th century England, a sweeping epic taking place over many years and covering numerous storylines that are all entwined.  I felt overwhelmed with the characters at first, but you get the hang of it and then it's a real page turner as it jumps between stories.  I'd say the central feature of all of the stories is the building of a cathedral.  (Apparently the cathedral in Salisbury was the model of the one in the novel, if I'd known that we would have stopped in when we were there in 2010, instead we only travelled through Salisbury to see Stonehenge.)  World Without End picks up the story a number of years later where the characters are children and grandchildren of those from Pillars of the Earth.  A mini-series was made a few years ago and it was quite good.  The nice thing about a mini-series is that they can do a bit more with the storyline than a two hour movie.  (Fun fact - Eddie Redmayne, recent Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, was in this mini-series.  Very talented.)

Salisbury Cathedral in the distance (By the way, the Nazis did not bomb this church during the Blitz because they used it as a guide marker to get to London.)

The Poisonwood Bible - Hey, finally a book that hasn't been made into a movie (although I'm surprised this hasn't happened since this was an Oprah book club selection at one time).  I've read this book several times.  It is about a Christian missionary family that lives in the Congo in the 1960s.  It is told from everyone's point of view (except the father) - mom, older sister, twin sisters, and baby sister.  This was a significant period for the Congo politically, and it is a feature of the plot along with the extreme culture shock (calling it culture shock almost seems to diminish it), illness, injury, and natural disasters that the family deals with.  It is rather tragic but beautifully written. There is one passage near the end that I love so much - it is a beautiful description of what the first white people saw when they arrived in Africa for the first time, and how the Africans were doing pretty well.  There is a similar passage in The Kite Runner about Afghanistan.

I didn't flip this before I uploaded it, but you get the idea.

You always are, book, you always are.

Want it Wednesday

I'm in a book club that meets every 6 weeks.  We are mostly mamas, so we like getting a night to have some adult conversation, although the talk inevitably turns to our kids. It can be frustrating at times when not everyone has read the book or when people cancel at the last minute, but overall it is a fun night "out"!  The club started as a way for us new moms to get out of the house, (ironically?...I'm never sure) it is usually mom stuff that keeps us from finishing the book and keeps us from attending, oh well!

At the beginning of December we met to pick our next books for 2015. We like to pick them ahead of time so we could get them as Christmas gifts, or start reading ahead during the holidays, if we can.  We also plan our meeting dates so they are in our calendars right away.  We take turns hosting, with the hostess providing snacks and drinks, and we also take turns leading the discussion.  Our selection is quite diverse, but they all seem to be books that will provide some thought provoking discussion.  We also had some parametres that they had to be less than 500 pages and in paperback.  Many people brought Canadian authors for suggestions, which is always nice.

In 2015 we will be reading these nine books:

Gone Girl- Gillian Flynn.  I know nothing about this story because when the movie came out, I avoided all previews so as not to ruin it.  I was debating watching the movie before reading the book because the book is always better, but I think I have been convinced to read the book first.  It is a "book" club after all, not a "see if you can find it in movie version" club.

The Kitchen House- Kathleen Grissom.  For Heaven's sake, "Book Club Favourite" is written right on the cover.  This was my pick because it is about the Civil War, and since Gone with the Wind is my favourite book, I thought this would be right up my alley.

Beat the Reaper- Josh Bazell.  This is not a book I would have likely picked up on my own, but that is the great thing about this club - I am introduced to lots of different authors, topics and writing styles.  This has some high ratings so I am looking forward to it.

 

A House in the Sky- Amanda Lindhout.  This is the story of the Canadian reporter who was kidnapped in Somalia and held for over a year.  A non-fiction book like this is not typical for a book club, and last year we gave Megan a hard time for suggesting the Amanda Knox book, but we all read it, and we had a good discussion about it, so we're giving non-fiction another go.

The Shock of the Fall- Nathan Filer. This one sounds very intriguing, something about the disappearance of a child, and then years later the remaining brother saying he can bring his brother back.  The reviews are very favourable.

We are Water- Wally Lamb. I think I've read pretty much all of Wally Lamb's fiction work.  His books are always super depressing, but real page turners.  I'm sure this one will be the same, and I can't wait!

Any Known Blood - Lawrence Hill. A great Canadian writer, and Ontario native.  We were joking we should get him to come to our meeting when we discuss this book. I'm sure Lawrence Hill does appearances at local book clubs for free, right?  I think he lives in Hamilton now, so that's not too far.

The Paying Guests- Sarah Waters. I'm pretty sure I already like this book, it's set in post World War I England, plus it kind of sounds like Downton Abbey.  I'm sure there is much more to it than that, but I'm already excited about it!

All my Puny Sorrows- Miriam Toews.  This was another one of my picks.  I don't know too much about it other than it was shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and I am not usually disappointed by Giller Prize contenders. 

Hope these give you some ideas for your 2015 reading list. 

Want it Wednesdays

This is my first "Want it Wednesday" post.  Each week I will showcase something that I want to buy.  I am not sponsored by anyone, these are truly things I want to buy and that I want to share with you.



This week I am showing you some books that I want.  I have a soft spot in my heart for real paper books.  I know many people have converted to the e-reader, and while I do see its benefits if taking a long trip, I can't get on board.  I like to have a real book in my hand, I like going to the library and book store and browsing the sections, I like having shelves in my house filled with books that I've read.

I am in a book club so I am always keeping up with our upcoming selection - this time it is The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. 

I also have books that people have given me or that I've purchased myself that I haven't read yet, but yet I am always looking for more books.  I keep a running list on my phone. Currently I am interested in these ones:

Let's All be Brave, by Annie Downs

I found out about this on one of my favourite blogs.  I'm not sure if it falls into the "self-help" category, but it sounds likes it provides some encouragement that maybe we all need sometimes to be brave.

And Then There Were Nuns, by Jane Christmas

I heard about this listening to CBC radio the other day.  I am not Catholic, but I have always been fascinated by nuns, and monks for that matter, living their lives in service to God.  The author writes about how she thought about becoming a nun herself and living with them for awhile to decide if it was for her. She ultimately decided it was not, but the experience changed her.

Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner

 

This looks like a good "beach read" and don't we all need that sometimes?  I've read a few of her other books, and they are entertaining. 

If you've read any of these, let me know what you think.